Ossian Collection > Thoughts on the origin and descent of the Gael

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in the knowledge of the useful and ornamental
arts of life.
Carmen. Cantus.
Carmen, in general, signifies a song or ode:,
Tne Roman philologists are at a loss about its
derivation. They say it is derived forte a cano
quasi canimen ; but although they may with pro-
priety derive cantus from cano, the word carmen
cannot be referred to this source. Both carmen
and cantus are derived from Gaelic vocables.
A, pronounced with an aspiration, is expres-
sive of /«w^//^er among all mankind. A^ir, in the
Gaelic language, signifies jo^; compounded of flr,
the natural expression of laughter, and jTrr, reaL
A laugh is expressed by gair, which is an abbre-
viation o^guair, the 'voice of joy. The word gairm,
which is the carmen of the Latins, is composed
of three Gaelic words, guairjhuaim, pronounced
gairaim, commonly written gairm, which literally
signify the sound of the voice of joy, compose the
root of the Latin carmen, and is expressive of
harmonious metrical numbers, generally, as used
by the Romans, though not always, of a joy-
ous cast. Ovid expresses himself, with respect
to the swan, —